


Choices

by cwxyz



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Friendship, Gen, I hate thinking of tags, I'm Sorry, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 19:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13196949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cwxyz/pseuds/cwxyz
Summary: Mitsuki learns you don't choose your family, but you do choose who you are.





	Choices

**Author's Note:**

> I'm worried this may be a bit OOC since I've never written either of these characters before, but eyyyy gave it my best shot. Feedback appreciated!

“Konohamaru-sensei, do you have a minute?” Mitsuki hung back around his teacher as he waved to his two other teammates, rushing home to rest after a several days long mission. He acknowledged now might not be the best time to broach this topic, given that Konohamaru looked absolutely exhausted after having to deal with Boruto’s antics and play mediator between him and Sarada half the mission, but it’d been weighing on Mitsuki’s mind the entire trip. And during seemed like an even worse time, since they’d have to continue being around each other. 

At least now that they were back in the village, Konohamaru could leave if he so chose. Mitsuki still wasn’t great at interpersonal interactions like this, but he was improving. 

“Sure, what’s up?” Mitsuki felt a twinge of what he believed to be guilt as his teacher offered a tired-eyed smile, always willing to help his team out. 

“I feel I should tell you more about myself.” He paused as Konohamaru lifted an eyebrow, nodding at him to continue. “My parent is...Orochimaru.” 

Mitsuki prepared himself for the worst outcome, which would be Konohamaru exploding in anger, trying to take out his revenge on Mitsuki. Based on what Mitsuki knew of his sensei this was an unlikely response, but a possible one nonetheless. What seemed most likely was Konohamaru being uncomfortable and not wanting to be his sensei, which Mitsuki would understand. 

An outcome he did not anticipate was the older shinobi blinking calmly, surprised not by Mitsuki’s heritage but the fact that he was bringing it up now. “I know.” 

Mitsuki opened and closed his mouth several times, quite unsure of what to say next. Should he apologize on behalf of his parent? No, that wouldn’t really do much. Did Konohamaru know about what the sannin had done in the past, and he still chose to be his teacher? It seemed like he wasn’t going to comment on it unless Mitsuki brought it up himself. 

“I recently learned that my parent...caused the death of the Third Hokage.” He had been perusing books about Konoha’s history in interest of connecting more to the village he was living in when he came across this disturbing piece of information, knowledge that upset him especially since he’d learned of his teacher’s relation to the hokage. 

“That’s true.” Konohamaru’s voice remained steady, meeting Mitsuki’s gaze. He didn’t seem particularly upset by the subject, but he also didn’t appear to want to dwell on it. “But why bring it up now?” 

“I just…” Mitsuki’s words were carefully chosen, acknowledging the potential tenseness of the situation. “I thought it might be possible you’d still be angry at him for what he did.” And angry at me. 

“The village has decided to overlook what he did since he helped so much in the end.” Mitsuki’s eyes narrowed slightly - Konohamaru had given him a textbook answer, but it wasn’t the one he was looking for, and he got the feeling his teacher knew that. 

“I know that, but I want to know if _you_ have forgiven him.” 

“Hm.” Konohamaru was quiet for several moments, sighing deeply as he looked towards the painted sky. Mitsuki was a fairly mature and intelligent kid, he deserved a straight answer and could most likely handle it. “No. I’m not sure I ever will, if I’m being honest with you.” 

“...Oh.” Even if it had been the answer Mitsuki prepared for, he’d been holding onto the sliver of hope that Konohamaru had in fact forgiven his parent. A sinking feeling began to develop in his stomach - if Konohamaru didn’t want him on his team anymore, he could no longer be with Boruto. Where would he go? Would any other team accept him? Would he have to return to the hideout? 

“...But that has nothing to do with you, Mitsuki.” This startled the boy, who looked up to see the typical goofy grin spread across his teacher’s face. “You’re not Orochimaru, you’re Mitsuki. You don’t choose the circumstances you’re born into, how could I fault you for that?” 

The white-haired boy breathed an audible sigh of relief, returning Konohamaru’s smile with one of his own. “Thank you, Konohamaru-sensei.” 

Mitsuki was here, in Konoha, making friends and going on missions and being open with his sensei because that was what he wanted. He had the ability to choose to not make the same mistakes his parent had.

Mitsuki was Mitsuki, and that was that.


End file.
